THE S A MO AN COCOANUT 23 



against such imposition, as they term it, they have their scales 

 set to keep watchful guard over their interests or are provided 

 with a set of false weights — generally the latter — for the natives 

 watch the weighing with keen eyes, sharpened by sad experience. 

 I have heard this practice warmly defended ; but it should be 

 said there are some honorable exceptions. 



Recently in a trial had in the supreme court between a firm 

 of this place and one of their agents it was shown that the firm 

 had furnished the agent, along with the scales, a set of correct 

 and a set of false weights. This did not seem to excite surprise 

 or unfavorable comment, while the revelation of the fact was 

 regarded as amusing. 



The increase in the American consumption of copra is very 

 gratifying. None was shipped to the United States in 1891 or 

 1892. In 1893 the value of copra shipped to San Francisco 

 amounted to $1,259 ; in 1894 to $30,400, and the declared value 

 of that shipped to the same port for the year ended June 30, 

 1895, was $45,486. Every steamer for the last-named port*now 

 takes a shipment. Consignments by this steam transportation 

 are made at a high freight rate. But one sailing vessel has 

 cleared from this port for any American port in a year. By 

 far the greater importations into these islands come from the 

 Australasian colonies, many reasons combining to produce this 

 result. Were there sufficient outward traffic from San Francisco 

 to employ sailing craft, such vessels could afford to carry copra 

 on the return voyage at such a rate as would largely increase the 

 shipments of Samoa's only export to America ; for steam rates 

 on so bulky an article over so long a distance approach the 

 prohibitory. 



The latest advices (1895) from Liverpool quote copra at $52.50 

 per ton. This is thought to be too low commercially, and a re- 

 covery is expected to $58 or $60 per ton, and these latter figures 

 are thought to fairly represent the present real value. The 

 price has never before reached so low a figure. During 1870- 

 71 the price was about $115; as late as 1880 it was from $75 

 to $85 ; since which time, with occasional recoveries, it has con- 

 tinued to decline until it reached the. figures stated. 



The freight to England is about $12.64? per ton ; to San Fran- 

 cisco, to which shipments are beginning to be made, $10 by 

 steam and from $6 to $8 by sail, when the few opportunities 

 occur. From Ceylon and places similarly situated charters can 

 be had for at least half these rates. In the era of high prices 



